Michele it sounds like you are doing some great advocating. As an allergic parent, thank you!

I lived in Vancouver's LMLD until 4 years ago when we moved here to Ottawa. It's beautiful here but I have to confess I really miss the mountains, ocean and 'real' trees (no offense to Ontario folk but they haven't seen 'real' trees until they've been to the West Coast ).

Last year my 12 year old child “had a rash and was itchy all over”. When he told staff of his difficulties, he was sent to the office alone to call me, and then from there (alone again) to his home room to wait for me, without his homeroom teacher even being made aware of his problem.

No, no, no!!!
Good for you in pushing for changes to keep Alberta children safe! I think that it's discusting that there still are Canadian children who are not guarunteed a safe public education.

Just trying to get caught up here - have been away for several days. To answer your question, I am in the Foothills School Division. I've had a personal discussion with the Assistant Superintendent, as well as our local Trustee (I know them both well - through my position on the school's Parent Council and through my job as a pharmacist in the community). They both agree with me, but for some reason can't get me on the agenda! The Assistant Super even told me a story about how, when he was a principal, had to drive an unconscious child to the ER (this was in Red Deer - not sure when...) because the ambulances were unavailable. He was told afterwards that it was a big no-no - he used his personal vehicle, and the legalities of the situation should have dictated that he wait for the ambulance. Which apparently wasn't coming for at least 1/2 hour. He said that the day he gets told he has to consider legalities over a child's safety in a medical emergency will be the day he quits teaching.

I'm not a pushy person - I seem to have the support of the principal, her superiors at the division, as well as the Parent Council, but when I come to the principal with all the materials that I wish to use, etc, she never gets back to me. I don't push her further, because I think I've done all I can do.

The policy at the school is basically no nuts - there are student info cards posted on the wall of the staff room indicating who is allergic to what and what the treatment is, but they pretty much leave it up to the parent to deal directly with the teacher. I have had pretty good relationships with all his teachers so far, and last year she let me teach the whole class so his classmates all got to try the Epipen trainers.

I've been trying to get them to follow the procedures in Anaphylaxis in Schools and Other Settings - no need to reinvent the wheel! I've talked about "Allergy-Safe" vs. "Nut-free" (which is basically meaningless). I've tried to stress about how other allergies can be anaphylactic, and have tried to get my 2 cents in on all the food "celebrations" at school so that all kids are included ... much like we do at the AAIA camp at Lake Wabamun, where I have volunteered the past few summers (ie. work with each family to come up with allergen-free alternatives on food days at school). Like I said, she seems to LOVE my ideas, but I can't implement them without her official "OK", and it has never come.

Overall, I've always felt that my son was "safe". He is well-liked at school, so his classmates have been very considerate. He is a smart kid, and has always known that he cannot eat ANYTHING unless I've sent it from home. He is extra vigilant on pizza days and when fellow students are swinging their yogurt tubes around. However, I see other parents - mostly those whose kids are only allergic to nuts - rely completely on the school, and last year some staff were quite upset when 2 kids allergic to nuts were allowed to eat Valentine's Day chocolate at school - and later found out that the chocolate was not safe. So what happens? A letter goes home reminding parents to not send any items that "may contain" nuts. I would rather have seen those children taught that it's not safe to eat anything at school! Why did the teacher let them? Why did the parents not teach them to wait until they got home? So many things wrong with that situation. How can we, as parents of allergic children, expect parents of non-allergic children to read labels like we do?? It took us ages to learn how to properly read labels, so it is unrealistic to expect that all food sent to school is completely nut-free. I would like to teach about it being a shared responsibility. If my son, who is anaphylactic to tiny amounts of dairy (and nuts!) can go 5 years in a school with no reactions, then it's possible to keep all kids safe AND included - without the need for outright food bans. Which is pretty much what that document teaches as well.

I think the problem in Alberta might have more to do with legalities than common sense. That's why I don't sign the school's document and send my anaphylaxis plan. The Anaphylaxis Canada document recommends that we NEVER sign a document from the school that somehow exonerates them legally if our child has an allergic reaction at school and the epinephrine is not given. So I always emphasize at the beginning of the year - #1 - Give Epi. #2 - Call 911. #3 - Call Mom. There should be no excuse for not giving the Epi.

When it is left up to the parents to speak to the teacher, each parent is following in the footsteps of parents who came before them. Allergies happen to all types of people from the overly cautious to the deniers. Without a clear plan, you have to re-educate the teacher every single year. This is an up hill battle, but what choice do you have? This only keeps the student safe while in that class, with that teacher. What about recess, snow days and supply teachers? What about high school when a student can have 8 different teachers?

When school boards create policies regarding training and storage, they can budget for materials and time needed to organize and train all staff. Without this carved in stone, some will not do it and some children will be at an unnecessary risk. These students are at risk everytime they eat...life is stressful enough! Children need to be safe when at school. Parents need to know that they can trust the school to keep their children safe.

Aaahh, I see the re-appearance of the mama juice!! I knew it would catch on.

With the presence of minors on this forum I shall state that I don't condone in any way the promotion of 'spirits' (shall we call them) for medicinal purposes.
The mama juice shall be defined as delightful beverage, a delicate mixture of flavors served with a tiny umbrella. The umbrella has a cautinary warning 'Not to be used as an instrument of frustration'!! Depending on what is available at the time it is approved to be served in anything from a jam jar to a flower vase or outright with a straw (IV shall be withheld for emergency situations only).

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